e often forced
to hand all our sails and steer more easterly to go before it. On the
26th at 4 o'clock it cleared up to a hard sky, and a brisk settled gale;
then we made as much sail as we could. At 5 it cleared up over the land
and we saw, as we thought, Cape Solomaswer bearing south-south-east
distance 10 leagues. We had many great logs and trees swimming by us all
this afternoon, and much grass; we steered in south-south-east till 6,
then the wind slackened and we stood off till 7, having little wind; then
we lay by till 10, at which time we made sail and steered away east all
night. The next morning, as soon as it was light, we made all the sail we
could, and steered away east-south-east, as the land lay; being fair in
sight of it, and not above 7 leagues distance. We passed by many small
low woody islands which lay between us and the main, not laid down in our
charts. We found variation 9 degrees 50 minutes east.

The 28th we had many violent tornadoes, wind, rain, and some spouts; and
in the tornadoes the wind shifted. In the night we had fair weather, but
more lightning than we had seen at any time this voyage. This morning we
left a large high island on our larboard side, called in the Dutch charts
Wishart's Isle, about 6 leagues from the main; and, seeing many smokes
upon the main, I therefore steered towards it.

CHAPTER 4.

NEW BRITAIN DISCOVERED.

THE MAINLAND OF NEW GUINEA. ITS INHABITANTS. SLINGERS BAY.

The mainland at this place is high and mountainous, adorned with tall
flourishing trees; the sides of the hills had many large plantations and
patches of cleared land; which, together with the smokes we saw, were
certain signs of its being well inhabited; and I was desirous to have
some commerce with the inhabitants. Being nigh the shore we saw first one
proa; a little after, 2 or 3 more; and at last a great many boats came
from all the adjacent bays. When they were 46 in number they approached
so near us that we could see each other's signs, and hear each other
speak; though we could not understand them, nor they us. They made signs
for us to go in towards the shore, pointing that way; it was squally
weather, which at first made me cautious of going too near; but, the
weather beginning to look pretty well, I endeavoured to get into a bay
ahead of us, which we could have got into well enough at first; but while
we lay by we were driven so far to leeward that now it was more difficult
to get in. The